Another Now
by bisplease
Summary: Emma is back in the Gold Coast 18 months after she left. At first she believes she has been replaced but soon finds out she hasn't. A change in events has everyone worried. Old enemies come back. Who are they? {Updates are slow} [Emma/Ash, Cleo/Lewis, Bella/Will, Rikki/Zane] [In Progress]
1. 1 I'm Back?

**1.**

Emma Gilbert had been gone for a year and a half, and well, a year can change a person.

A lot had changed since she had left. Like Cleo, Rikki and their new friend Bella had saved the world and defeated the water tentacle.

Finally it was time for the last mermaid to come home and be apart of the group.

Emma now had tanned skin from being around the world, her blonde hair had natural highlights from the sun and reached the top of her hips. Her silver locket was always around her neck and it was never removed. She would alternate between her glasses and contact lenses, mostly contacts. But no matter how much her appearance had changed, she was still the same Emma Gilbert as she was just over eighteen months ago.

"It's so good to be back." Emma told her family as they landed back in the Gold Cost.

She hadn't told her friends that she was coming back since she wanted to surprise them.

Sitting up she adjusted her glasses on her nose. "I hope not too much has changed since I left."

"I'm sure everything is the same, Em." Her mother told her, placing down the book she had been reading.

It had been a hard task not to expose her secret to her family. They had been surrounded by a lot of water over the last eighteen months. There had been a lot of close calls but she did it. All Emma wanted to do know was get back to her house and get to Mako.

"_Please buckle your belts, we will be landing shortly." _The announcer called.

Two hours later, the Gilbert family had landed back in the Gold Cost and were back in their house.

"Emma, are you going out?" Lisa called to her daughter as she walked past.

"Yeah, I'll be back later, around 7." Emma called out as she walked out the door.

"Okay, they should be at the JuiceNet." Emma muttered to herself as she walked down the sidewalk. Looking down she checked her outfit. Since it was summer she was wearing and white tank top and a pair of denim shorts.

When she reached the JuiceNet she was shocked to see the sign say _'Rikki's'. _

'_A lot has changed since I left.'_ Shrugging the thought aside, Emma walked through the door and looked around.

She spotted Cleo, Rikki, Lewis, Zane and two others sitting on the other side of the café. They seemed to be having a great time. Emma looked closer and noticed her two best friends weren't wearing their lockets. She unconsciously brought her hand up to touch hers'.

'_They've replaced me.' _was all that was running through her mind. She turned around and dashed away towards the stables where her boyfriend was. She hopped her hadn't forgot about her too.

Ash was busy working on Rebel when someone tapped his shoulder. He turned around and saw a petite blonde looking at him with tears on her checks. He recognised her instantly.

"Emma!" he called out while grabbing her in a hug. "I missed you."

"I missed you too, Ash." She sobbed.

He pulled back. "What's wrong?"

"It's just that Cleo and Rikki replaced me." She sobbed some more.

"What do you mean?" He asked his sobbing girlfriend.

"I saw them, they were in the Juice net, I mean Rikki's and there was two people with them. And they didn't have their lockets on anymore." Emma chocked.

"You mean Bella? That's their new friend. They met when you left and have been friends ever since."

"So they did replace me."

"No, no, no, Em," He told her, pushing a stray strand of blonde hair behind her ear. "They missed you, Emma. Honestly. I think you should go see them."

"Okay, okay. I'll go see them." She straightened out her shirt and wiped her tears. "Thanks, Ash." She kissed him and turned to walk out.

"Wait." She turned around. "I want to go on a date with you. I'll pick you up at 7 tomorrow."

"Okay, see you then."

She walked out the stable doors and down the street. It was getting dark as she walked down the sidewalk. Suddenly, a voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

"Hello Emma."

Then, everything went black.


	2. 2 Isabella Ivory Hartley

**2.**

Cleo, Rikki, Lewis, Bella and Will were all sitting in Rikki's, talking. Zane was sorting something out in the office. Yes, he and Rikki had sorted everything out and were back together.

"So how is everyone?" Cleo asked.

"Great. Hey, when's the next full moon?" Bella added.

"I don't know," Lewis said "I think it's Tuesday?"

Just as Rikki was about to speak, Zane rushed out with a look of panic on his face.

"You need to see this." He said, gesturing towards the TV that was mounted on the wall.

"_Welcome to Gold Coast News. Tonight's main story, Eighteen-year-old Emma Elise Gilbert was found unconscious on the sidewalk outside of the Gold Coast Riding Stables last night. It is not yet known the cause of how she was hurt but it is believed to have been a blow to the head. Emma had just arrived back from a family trip around the world and is said to have been travailing home after just seen her boyfriend, Ash Dove, when the attack happened. Currently, she is being treated at the local hospital being watched closely. If you have any information on the attack please come forward." _

The group sat in shock. Well it was mainly Cleo, Rikki and Lewis.

A tear rolled down Rikki's cheek. "Emma?" She whispered, looking at the picture of her best friend on the TV. It must have been a recent picture, her hair was much longer and she was looking tanned.

"Come on. We need to get to the hospital." Cleo cried, jumping up.

* * *

><p>The others soon followed. They all raced the hospital. Upon arrival, they spotted the Gilbert family and Ash. Rikki and Cleo rushed over to them.<p>

"Is she okay? What happened?"

"Currently, she is in a CT scan. And Ash knows what happened." Neil told the two girls while trying to calm his sobbing wife.

"Well, I was working with Rebel when someone tapped me on the shoulder. It was Emma and she was crying. She said she had gone to Rikki's and she had seen all of you, especially Bella and Will, and that you weren't wearing the lockets. She ran and came to me. I told her that she misunderstood and told her to go see you. Emma left but I heard a crash. I ran outside and saw her laying on the ground. Her head was bleeding and she was unconscious." Ash told them and they gasped. "I also found this beside her. It looked like it had been ripped off her neck." He held up the locket. It had indeed been broken on the chain.

"Emma thought I would replace her?" Bella thought out loud.

"Wait, how do you know Emma?" A confused Will asked.

"Oh, well-" She was cut off by the doctor.

"Emma Gilbert?"

Lisa, Neil and Elliot shot up. "Yes? Is she okay?"

"Yes. She seems to have taken a nasty blow to the head. Someone seems to have attacked her. No permanent damage has been done but there may be some consequences."

"Like what?" Rikki asked.

"Possible amnesia. It wouldn't be too bad, she may be lucky and not get any at all. But I think you should prepare for the worst, just in case." The Doctor said. "Oh, by the way, I am Doctor Noah Johnson and I have been looking over Emma."

"Neil Gilbert." Neil shook the doctors hand. "And that's my wife, Lisa Gilbert and my son Elliot."

"You can go and see her now, but I am not sure when she will wake up." Noah said. "She's in room 730."

"Thank you."

* * *

><p>The group of friends waited outside since it was family only allowed in.<p>

"So, Bella, you never answered how you know Emma?"

Bella opened her mouth to reply but was cut off by a nurse. "Visiting times are over. Please leave."

The group got up and left the hospital, forgetting the question.

* * *

><p>The next morning Lewis, Cleo, Bella, Rikki and Zane all made their way through the doors of the hospital. Elliot was standing there waiting for them.<p>

"She's awake." He told them. "Come on."

They rushed down the hall to where Emma's room was. As soon as they were there, Cleo and Rikki walked through the door. "Emma!"

Emma turned towards them. "Cleo! Rikki!" She opened her arms for them to give her a hug.

Suddenly Bella walks through the door. "Emma Elise Gilbert?"

Emma's head shoots up at the sound of her full name. A grin is etched its' onto her face. "Isabel Ivory Hartley."


	3. 3 Childhood Friends

**3.**

_Previously.. _

'_Emma Elise Gilbert?' _

'_Isabella Ivory Hartley.' _

* * *

><p>Emma and Bella grinned at each other. 'No way. Hug. Now.' Emma demanded.<p>

Bella didn't hesitate before moving forward to hug the girl.

Cleo, Rikki and the others looked at the scene in front of them. 'You know each other?' A confused Rikki asked as Cleo nodded.

'Oh… well you see, we may or may not have not known each other since forever. How do you know each other?' Emma retorted.

'We met about four weeks after you left.' Cleo added.

'So.. Do you know about…?' The question was left hanging in the air.

Emma rolled her eyes playfully. ''Course I do. We tell each other everything.'

'Well, nearly everything.' Bella added. 'I think we forgot about the whole me being friends with your friends.'

'Oh well.' Emma laughed. I think we need to talk about everything that has happened over the last eighteen months.'

'Well, it all started about three weeks after you left…'

* * *

><p>'Let me get this straight. You saved the entire world? And defeated a water tentacle?'<p>

'Yup.' The three girls replied in unison.

'Wow I missed a lot.'

'Okay, so I think we have all been wanting to know but what happened?'

'What happened?' Emma repeated, confused.

'You know, the thing that landed you in hospital?' Rikki said.

Realisation washed over Emma. 'Oh. Well I was walking back from seeing Ash when something smashed into the back of my head. Just before I slipped unconscious I heard "Hello Emma.". I know the voice and I think it belonged to.. Charlotte.'

* * *

><p><strong>Short Chapter but I'll try and update more often! <strong>

_-BellaHartley2014 _


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